A Nation's King
by PalkiamaniacRK
Summary: TLK/APH. Young cubs Ludwig and Gilbert are the newborn princes of Kings Tino and Berwald. White lion Ivan wants to rule all of the Animal Kingdom, and he just wants it like how he plotted...
1. Chapter 1  Ludwig's Ceremony

Author Notes: As you can see, this is a crossover with The Lion King and Hetalia Axis Powers, and it's called The Nation's King. All the characters here are lions ad others animals. I'm not the greatest writers of all so don't write nasty reviews or PMs, just enjoy the story in your mind please. And I don't really care on how many reviews I get, I just write so I can get the idea out of my head.

Special Thanks to:

Fangthewolf

The DA Hetalia/Lion King artists that inspired me

My own imagination

Katyusha : Ukraine

Singing is in **bold**

EDIT: I just changed and fixed a few things at the end, thats all.

Presented and wrote by PalkiamaniacRK

Warnings: A slightly changed plot, mild violence, NO character death, future shounen-ai in the chapters and a bit of swearing. Remember, don't like yaoi/shounen-ai, don't read or flame me!

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**"Aah, twuenya… Bababe, chilala…"**

The sun slowly rose from the darkness of night, lighting up a beautiful and vast savannah in the lower part of the African continent.

**"Aah, twuenya… bababe gi, cilalo. Wenya, Mm, baba…"**

The day started, as the wind blew upon a rhinoceros eating its breakfast, causing it to look up and start walking. The wind also blew upon a few antelope, also guiding them to a certain place. Several meerkats stood up on their hind legs, wondering what was going on with the other animals. A cheetah looked over the horizon at the top of a hill, spotting the animals and silently following them on their path.

**"Hey, lala…"**

Herons near a huge waterfall silently glanced at each other, before flying off towards the distance.

**"Ziabu, bula…"**

Herds of African elephants gathered near a unusually snowy mountain, traveling towards the same place the other herds were heading. Flocks of birds flew above several rivers, flapping as high as they could. Herds of Gazelles leaped over patches of savannah grass through a cloudy field, traveling where the other animals are going.

**"From the day we arrive on the planet…**

**And blinking, step into the sun…"**

A mother giraffe with her child gracefully walked out of the dark, the little child turning its head away from the light before getting used to it.

The child glanced down onto the wonderful scenery, where as a stampede of different animals, including giraffes, ran across the savannah grass. The two giraffes by the distance followed afterwards, running with their lean and long legs.

**"There's more to see, that can ever be seen…"**

**"More to do, than can ever be done…"**

Several flightless birds ran away for safety, but still followed where the other animals were going, as elephants slowly stomped across the rock. One of the birds behind the rest nearly got stepped on by the elephants stomping, flying a short altitude before landing on the ground in a rush.

**"There's far too much, to take in here…**

**More to find that can never be found…"**

At the end of the great river Nile, zebras charged and jumped as high as they could over the deep water, along with many other animals walking on it.

**"But the sun rolling high, in the sapphire sky**

**Keeps great and small, in the endless round,"**

All of the travelling animals finally reached their destination from their long walk, two rather large pieces of rock in a right angle, lots of boulders at the behind supporting it. Animals in the area call it the Pride Rock, as a group of lions is called a pride, and a group of lions happen to live in the large rock. Flying in the sky towards the huge rock, a brown bird with a very long and odd flick on its head flew in a hurry.

**"It's the Circle of Life…**

**And it moves us all…"**

The flying bird landed in silence in front of a very serious looking lion, gazing into the Outlands. The said bird bowed before a serious, but great lion. The great lion's name was Berwald, his mane shaggy and blonde and eyes just as serious as him, but as blue as the sky above. He was considered mighty because he fought many other lions with just brute strength and his axe, which he keeps now in a hidden place no-one knows about. After a second, the mighty lion finally noticed him, showing two white patches around his eyes.

"Your Highness, Heracles is on his way, is Ludwig alright?" The bird asked the beast in a formal way, addressing him like a powerful king.

"Y's, L'dwig 's fine. B't I'm w'nd'ring wh're Ivan 's…" He said with a very interesting, but hard to understand accent, what he called a 'Swedish' accent.

"Sire, I'm sure he will arrive momentarily. Speaking of arriving, it looks like Heracles is here!" The servant said cheerfully, looking at where the gazelles and ox are before flying off once again.

**"Through despair and hope….**

**Through faith and love,"**

The hairy ox bowed before the presence of a young, brown baboon, as he walked upon the land on his own two legs, carrying a stick with a couple of fruit with him. He smiled at the other animals, gradually looking ahead before climbing upon the rocks at the front. Once he climbed to the top, he dusted some rock shards off his fur before giving Berwald a friendly hug, Berwald slowly returning it, patting his back.

"Why hello, Berwald! I haven't seen you since you were a lion cub! Come to think of it, it's the only time I ever get to see you!" He chuckled, earning a little smile from the great Berwald.

"M' w'fe's th's way, come." He said before walking slowly into the mouth of the Pride Rock. Heracles quickly followed, carefully trying not to fall down the sides of the thin in width rock.

**"Till we find our place, on the path unwinding…**

**In the Circle, the Circle of Life…"**

Inside the mouth of Pride Rock, the whole pride of lions was there, waiting and watching the every movement of the ceremony. Nearest to the entrance, was a bright yellow lion named Tino, but some lionesses call him Timo. His mane was messy and blonde just like Berwald's, but his eyes was a pure brown colour. Looking downward in his arms, he was holding a yellow fuzz ball looking just like him.

"Why, hello, Heracles. How are you doing today?" Tino asked the young baboon, his carrying stick waving around the little fuzz ball.

"I'm fine, thank you. But, would you mind waking up little Ludwig for me, please?" He asked nicely with a sweet smile. Tino happily obliged and licked the back of the tiny cub's head. As soon as the tongue licked a certain spot on the head, the cub suddenly turned around, opening his eyes to reveal eyes just like his father's, all serious but blue as the sapphire sky. Heracles gradually smiled a gentle smile, reaching for his stick. He waved it around the little cub again, the fruit attached to it jingling with their seeds inside of it.

The lion cub, known as Ludwig, completely stared at it, mesmerized at both the sight and sound of the baboon's stick. While a claw quickly appeared on his left paw, he tried to claw it out from the air, which he failed to do, the claw shrinking as fast as it came.

The wise baboon carefully picked one of his stick's fruit and, gently as he could, split the fruit in half. Inside it, was a cross necklace made of some sort of iron, incensed with the fruit's juice. He wiped off the juice off the iron cross and made little Ludwig wear it, which was still curious of what the baboon was doing.

"The Knight's Cross…" The young, but wise baboon whispered quietly to himself.

"Wh't d' you me'n, Heracles?" Berwald asked, staring at the iron necklace his son has.

"Ah, the Knight's Cross." Heracles started. "It shows that a brave and strong lion may emerge within. Your son might even be a hero one day!" He then chuckled, the lioness also giggled inside, causing echoes to bounce off the walls of the cave. After a second or two, he pulled himself together and then said "Without further do, I will continue with the service."

He gently picked up baby Ludwig by the arms, slowly letting him rest on his shoulder. His left hand supported him by the behind and the right to hold him still. He nodded at the couple, who nodded at him back. As slow as he could, he walked on his own ape feet back to the edge of the Pride Rock where all the other animals were, impatiently waiting to see the new member of the pride of lions.

Heracles slowly walked nearer to the edge of the impossibly huge rock, adjusting Ludwig to face the front, towards the sun. All the animals gradually looked up to see a baboon walking to the close edge while staring at the sun.

**"It's the Circle of Life,**

**And it moves us all…"**

All of a sudden, he lifted little Ludwig to the direction of the blazing Circle of Life and held it in that position. Nearly at the same, all of the animals cheered at different levels, stamping their feet, cried out, waved their arms around like crazy, so on. Even hordes of elephants blew their trunks to the new-born. While all the animals cheered, the quiet lion cub stared down at the scenario below, trying to recognize every creature's face, like all new-born cubs do.

**"Through despair and hope,**

**Through faith and love…"**

The sunlight suddenly burst out the thick clouds, shining on the wise baboon and Ludwig. At that moment, the zebras started to kneel right before the new-born, the other animals joining afterwards. Giraffes gradually moved their long necks down until it nearly reached the ground beneath.

**"Till we find our place,**

**On the path unwinding…"**

Berwald and Tino started to walk to where their son was, lying down to the light in front of them.

"You know Berwald, have you seen Gilbert anywhere?" Tino asked his husband in a quiet volume, trying not to break the atmosphere.

"I s'nt h'm b'ck to h's d'n so h' w'n't b'ther the c'rem'ny." Berwald quietly answered back, nuzzling into his feminine husband's mane.

**"In the Circle,**

**The Circle of Life"**

"Cool, I get to have a totally awesome brother who got shone on by some sunlight! That's totally awesome, I need more awesome siblings!"

~The Nation's King~

A tiny brown mouse quivering with hunger scuttled out of the darkness of his little home, searching for any kind of food. He sniffed around for a little while, before scuttling forwards a little bit. He stopped to clean his ears, but he sensed something big was coming. He sniffed around the area for something before-

SMACK!

He was trapped in a giant white paw, tail sticking out of one of the gaps. The mouse was slowly lifted up, struggling in mid-air. He was now held face to face with a giant white lion with violet eyes, who had some-sort of a sad, but sadistic expression on his scar-endowed face.

"Life's not fair, is it, da?" He said in a low voice, almost sad in some-way.

"Please sir, l-let me go…" The little mouse quivered and shook with fear of the giant lion.

"Hahaha, you are very funny, da" He chuckled sarcastically, showing his big, white and bare teeth. "Now you will never see the light of the day~" He opened his mouth to prepare eating the trembling mouse when all of a sudden, he was interrupted.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?" The same brown bird with the unusual curl spoke in a spiteful manner to the white lion. The huge lion sighed a pitiful sigh.

"Da, what do you want?"

"Well, I'm here to announce that the Great Berwald is coming this way," He announced to the white lion, still trapping the hungry mouse. "So you'd better have a good excuse for him…"

The mouse, managing to escape from the furry prison, scuttled as quickly as lightning towards his little cave, not looking back. The violet-eyed lion noticed, staring at the little creature run away to his little cave just nearby.

"Oh, look here Roderich; you made me lose my new member to the Soviet Union…" He made a small pout, quivering his lips to add the effect.

"Oh, Soviet Union that! That's what happened to the so called other 'members'. Katyusha should take care of you, not me. But the king will do worse than that when he gets through with you!" He loudly complained for a little while.

"Oooh, I'm so scared~ I think I'm quivering with _fear, _da…" His voice lowered, changing into a much scarier voice.

"Now now, Ivan, don't look at me that way…" He worried, taking steps back from the now prowling lion. The brown bird flapped his wings, trying to get away from the hungry lion, who growled in anticipation. The lion pounced at the brown bird, trapping him inside his mouth.

"Iv'n." The serious Berwald said in a plain tone. All Ivan could respond back was a,

"Uh-huh?"

"P't h'm do'n."

"Impeccable timing, you majesty." Roderich's beak popped out of Ivan's big lips, before spitting the servant out of his mouth. The servant's landing was face-first on the rocky floor, while he was covered in Ivan's saliva. He desperately tried to get it off, cursing German words in disgust in return.

"My, my, if it isn't my cousin who went to mingle with the other commoners~" He provoked the blonde lion, in return of a more angry expression.

"Tino 'nd I d'dn't see y' at th' pr'sent'on 'f Ludwig." He said plainly again. Ivan sarcastically gasped when he stopped on his bed, which was just a rock slab on the wall.

"That was today? Oh, I feel simply _awful_…" Ivan groaned, positioning his claws on the rock slab before bringing them down to create an ear-splitting screech. Since Roderich's small ears were so sensitive, hearing the screech must have nearly made him deaf.

"Must've slipped my mind, da~" He then said after Roderich's problem, waving around his newly sharpened claws.

"Yes, well," Roderich started after his ears fixed themselves. "As the King's half-cousin, half-brother, you could've been first in line!" The white lion clamped his teeth together, his cheesy smile frightening poor Roderich away, behind Berwald's huge front legs.

"I was first in line…" He leaned down to Roderich, who was still hiding behind Berwald. "Until that little hairball was born!"

"Th't ha'rb'll is m' s'n," The great lion said in Ivan's face. "'nd yo're fut're k'ng."

"Oh, I shall practice my curtsy~" He held up a 'phone hand', turning away from the blonde lion.

"D'n't t'rn yo're b'ck on m', Ivan!" He shouted at his half-brother, bearing his white fangs.

"Oh no, Berwald." Ivan stopped in his tracks, looking back at the mighty lion. "Perhaps you shouldn't turn **your** back on me."

At that sentence, Berwald roared, charging after the escaping Ivan and stopped right in front of him.

"Is th't a ch'llenge?" He growled angrily right in front of Ivan, baring his white fangs once more.

"Ooh, temper temper…" He told Berwald off, shaking his head from side to side. "Wouldn't dream of challenging you~"

"Pity, why not?" Roderich asked the violet-eyes lion, eyeing him carefully.

"Well, as far as brute strength goes, I've got the lion's share," His face then changed into scowling. "But when it comes to having _everything_…" He sighed pitifully.

"I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the dream pool…" He padded around the mighty lion, wandering off to the savannah field across the rock of his den. Berwald looked back at him, wondering why they were related.

Roderich sighed a very long sigh after the huge, white lion left.

"There's one in every family, is there? Too bad for me, you're the only family I've got! But, That _one_ person always manage to ruin a special occasion…"

"I'm 'lways w'nder'ng wh't I'm go'ng to do w'ith h'm…"

"He'd make a very handsome, but scary throw rug!"

"Roderich!"

"Just think, whenever he gets dirty, you would throw him outside and beat the hell out of him!" The two chuckled, padding outside Ivan's den and heading for the main den to the Pride Rock. In the main den where Tino was silently waiting for the return of Berwald next to his sleeping son, the lionesses were chatting endlessly on how the ceremony worked out. Tino sat there, listening to them for the last five minutes, which seemed like five hours to him. He glanced at the outside of the den, noticing the tiny black clouds at the far distance.

"Wow, we haven't had rain for a while… this will be refreshing." He said the last time before falling asleep with his new-born son.

About an hour later, it started to rain across the lower African continent. Different animals tried to find shelter from the quick rain, so they wouldn't get too cold. The clouds grew thicker and thicker by the minute, a sign that more rain is to come. But the rain wasn't always bad. It refilled the several small rivers across the savannah.

Minutes after the first rainfall, thunder and lightning started to strike. It wasn't common that thunder and lightning stroke across the savannah grass. But while the two elements had their fun, a sum-what upside-down planted tree gave shelter to a certain wise baboon in the land.

Heracles was hand-painting an image of Ludwig, using his fruit's juice and rock dust to create it. He was doing it so he can keep track of what Ludwig will become in the future. He muttered chants of Greek language before looking back at his art. He reached out for one of his fruit's encases, dipping his thumb into it, chuckling at the same time. Just then, he rubbed his thumb over the painted Ludwig's forehead before quietly muttering,

"_Ludwig_…"

~Nation's King~

Morning rose, as the sun's radiant colours shone down on the African continent, exciting two energetic cubs. The cubs watched the scenery before them, silently discussing with one another before returning quickly to the main den.

One was fully white and had red-eyes with a white steel necklace around his neck, shaped like a cross, and taller than the lion beside him. The other was fully blonde and had serious blue eyes. He also had a necklace, made of iron and also shaped like a cross.

"Yo, ve need to vake up our awesome Vati!" The white one said to the other, trying to keep his voice down at the moment.

"Vhat for?" The blonde questioned the bigger cub.

"Just, come on!"

As soon as the cubs entered the main den, they shouted for their dad, who was sleeping at the far end.

"Vati!"

The two cubs separated while pouncing and trampling over the sleeping lioness on the floor, groaning in response as they were jumped on their stomachs once. They leaped over the high rock slab, skidding as they landed to reach their Dad, the great Berwald. Berwald was still snoring away in dreamland, still sleeping like a huge rock as Gilbert and Ludwig called for him repeatedly.

"Urgh… Your sons… are awake…" Tino groaned as he stirred awake, yawning and stretching his front legs. He did that before changing his position of sleeping.

"B'fore s'nr'se, th'yre y'or s'ns…" Mumbled the sleeping Berwald, also stirring awake from his two son's ranting.

"Vati!" Gilbert stopped, trying to reach for his father's ear. "Come on, Vati!" He then pulled his dad's ear by his mouth, trying to get him up. Usually, he used all his strength to pull his dad's ear, so when he let go, he stumbled. He crashed into what sounds like a skeleton pile, before getting up again to head-butt him by the side. In all of that commotion, Ludwig just sat there, awe-struck. Berwald suddenly popped an eye open to see when his son planned a next attack.

"You promised!" He glared at his waking up dad, who also looked at his youngest son just sitting there, staring at Gilbert with his mouth open.

"'K, 'k, I'm 'p." He stuttered, his one eye still open before both opened completely.

"Yeah! Come on, Ludwig! Don't just daze around there, let's go zee it!" The white lion cub shouted rather excitedly over to his frozen little brother, who just snapped out of his trance. "Race 'ya!" And they towards the rising sun, Berwald following soon afterwards.

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God, this was very fun to write for some reason! Near my holiday, so I won't update this until about 6 weeks after and there's the next chapter, since each chapter is nearly a week to write, since I don't have enough time or I'm grounded as always. But 4 days later after my holiday, there's a half term, two weeks off, so maybe there's a new batch of 2 chapters waiting! ;)

Review, please~! And who-ever guesses who the mouse is in a review, I'll give you a main paragraph preview of Chapter 2~


	2. Chapter 2 The Elephant Graveyard

Author Notes: Thanks, everybody! I hope you enjoy this story so far, and I'm so sorry for not replying to your reviews, my review reply's getting wacky, so I had to reply with a PM. :/ Oh, and if you're asking yourself how lions get pregnant, I don't know myself. XD Any-who, on with the story!

Oh and the answer to the question I asked at the end…

Well, if you think about it, the Soviet Union is made up of Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Since Ivan is a lion, his sisters, Katyusha and Natasha, must be. So there are 3 choices left. Eduard is not that small, so you take him away from the choices. Ravais and Toris are the only ones left. I guess they're always quivering with fear from Russia, Toris is a favourite of Ivan and Ravais is **small **and cute as a mouse. I'm not offending little Liet, but he's not as cute or small as a mouse… So the answer is…

Ravais!

Congrats to you who answered it right~ they win an early preview of the main paragraph of this chapter~ while the ones who didn't get it right, but answered what-so ever, get a half preview of the main paragraph! Congrats, guys! And sorry for wasting others' time for this, it's just results from the previous question… ^^;

Right, on with the story!

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As the Great Berwald padded along the steep path with his two cubs, he took a glance at both of them before padding along again. His two sons were carefully walking along with their father, eying the edge like it was nearly about to crumble beneath their paws. In Berwald's eyes, Ludwig looked a lot like a fusion of him and Tino, but Gilbert…

He nearly looks like his hated cousin.

Surely, his still loves him, but that fact always pokes him at the sides, demanding attention from him. His unusually large cousin wanted to have everything, and he does that by violence. He may seem really nice and sweet with a cute smile and everything, but in the inside… Nobody wants to find out. Not even the Great Berwald himself.

In a few seconds, all was still dark, but they reached the top of the Pride Rock. The sun started to show its colours, gleaming and glimmering nearly everywhere. Ludwig and Gilbert sat next to their father, staring in awe at the scenario in front of them. Berwald checked if his two sons were watching the beautiful scene showing now, before speaking.

"Lo'k s'ns. Ev'ryth'ng the l'ght to'ch's 's o'r K'ngd'm." Berwald started his speech, hearing his sons gasp with amazement.

"As a K'ng's t'me 's ruler r'ses 'nd f'lls l'ke the s'n. One d'y, boys. The s'n w'll s't 'n my t'me fr'm h're, 'nd w'll r'se fr'm you 's the n'w k'ngs." The biggest of the trio finally finished his great speech, turning to his sons and preparing himself for questions.

"Wow… So zis vill be all ours, halving our land to both of us to have a fair share?" The youngest of the family asked his huge father, staring up at him with curious eyes.

"Everything the light touches, Ludwig. And since you insisted to half the land for yourselves as the future king, I can already sense the inner king inside you." He chuckled a bit, eyeing the albino cub still staring into the distance.

"Everything ze light touches…" Ludwig padded around the top of Pride Rock, sitting next to his brother and joining him with his staring.

"Vhat about that dark place?" The white cub just asked, somehow pointing at the lands shrouded by darkness.

"Th't's bey'nd o'r b'rd'rs. Yo' m'st n'ver go th're, yo' und'rst'nd?" Berwald's tone began to sound worrying, thinking they might hurt themselves by foolishly going in the dangerous Outlands.

"But I thought a king can do vhatever he wants to do!" Ludwig cried out in a calm way, joining in with his fellow males in the family.

"Boys, th're's m're t' b'ing k'ng th'n expl'ring 'r b'ing in the w'y all th' t'me." Berwald sighed, walking off and his boys following at his tail.

"More?" They both questioned. Berwald chuckled at that, leading them down where the whole scenario starts.

As they walked very far away from the Pride Rock, Ludwig examined the scenery he was walking at. From the soft savannah grass, to the clear, blue sky way above him. Gilbert just followed his father; thinking of how much power he'll have when he grows big, chuckling silently to himself.

"Yo' s'e, ev'ryth'ng yo' s'e h're ex'sts t'g'ther 'n a d'lic'te bal'nce. As k'ng, yo' m'st und'rst'nd th't bal'nce, 'nd r'spect the cr'wling ants, to the l'ping ant'lopes."

"But don't ve eat ze antelope, Vati?" Ludwig questioned him again, accidently lightly bumping into his brother, who was snapped out from his glorious thoughts.

"Y's, Ludwig, b't l't m' expl'in f'rst." He paused for a little while, taking in a breath and thinking for a while before answering back. "Wh'n w' die, o'r b'dies b'come th' gr'ss, 'nd the ant'lope **e't **th' gr'ss. S' th'n, s'ns, w' are all c'nnect'd 'n th' gr'at c'rcle 'f l'fe." Berwald ended his long royal speech about the life in the whole African continent. Just then, a familiar brown bird swooped in, landing on the grey rock beside the family.

"Good morning, zire!"

"Go'd m'rn'ng, Roderich!"

"I'm checking in, with ze morning report." The chocolate bird, Roderich, bowed before the great and mighty Berwald.

"G' 'n 'he'd."

"Well…" And Roderich blabbed about the morning report, Gilbert slightly mocking him by mouthing his speech with him.

Just then, Ludwig quickly spotted a camouflaged grasshopper leaping away from him at the grass. He pounced on it quickly enough, but it got away quicker. He did it again, and again, and again. But he kept on missing it. _What did he do wrong?_

"Wh't 're yo' do'ng, Ludwig?" Berwald whispered, eyeing on his little pouncing machine at the rocks below.

"Pouncing." Ludwig answered back, thinking that he nearly caught it, but when he opened his paws, he sadly didn't.

"L't 'n old pr' sh'w yo' how 't's d'ne…" Berwald mischievously smirked at Roderich.

"And I gone and told zem I can't play ze piano because zese wings are so soft, I mean-"

"Roderich, wo'ld yo' t'rn ro'nd f'r a b't?" The alpha lion asked the hornbill as nice, but sarcastic as he could.

"Yes zire." And the bird tuned around. "And the monkeys suddenly picked up their-"

"St'y low… t' th' gro'nd…"

"Hey, can I join in?" Gilbert rudely interrupted them, nearly drawing the babbling feather pile's attention.

"Y'ah, s'n. Yo' c'n 'se th's 's a t'chn'que 'n th' fut're" Berwald tried to quietened him down, which obviously worked.

"Yeah yeah, stay low to ze ground, I got it…" Gilbert whispered to his father, copying the same position as his brother.

"Vhat's going on zere?" Roderich just asked, looking back at the royal lions.

"A po'nc'ng less'n." Berwald plainly and quickly replied back, going back to his boys.

"Ah yes, pouncing." He thought for a while. "POUNCING? Oh no, sire, you can't be serious…!" But he was serious, as he pointed his pointing pad to the ground, pretending to make invisible circles with it, saying that he should turn around. "Ugh… Zis is so humiliating…"

"Try n't t' m'ke a so'nd…"

"Vhat are you telling him, Berwald?" He asked almost in a frightened way, and he searched behind him for the royal family, but it was like no-one was there. "Berwald? Gilbert? Ludwig…?"

In a flash, both brothers pounced on the unprotected hornbill, Berwald laughing greatly after. Ludwig just returned to his father, while Gilbert made a fancy performance, jumping from front to back and walking like he's on the catwalk.

"Th't's a v'ry g'od po'nce!" Berwald chuckled, calming his laughs to his normal voice.

Suddenly, the soil rose from the ground, as a mole appeared from the rising soil, saluting Roderich.

"Roderich."

"Er, yes?"

"Sir, news from the underground." And the soldier mole reported on his sightings underground.

"N'w, th's t'me-" The huge lion said to his sons, before interrupted by the worrying hornbill behind the rock.

"Sire! Hyenas! In the Pride lands!" He yelled out unexpectedly. Berwald pulled up his serious face again.

"Roderich, t'ke Ludwig 'nd Gilbert h'me."

"Aw, but dad, can't we come?" Gilbert, who always seems eager to come when there's danger, whined.

"No, son. N't t'd'y." And the king leapt off without another second to spare, chasing off the hyenas that are in the Pride Lands.

The white cub sighed. "I never get to go anywhere…" Roderich, who was perching on the forgotten rock, flew beside him, walking on the ground.

"Now now, young master. One day, you vill be king on Nation Rock, in my opinion." Roderich then took off the ground in a low altitude beside the young lion cubs. "Ludwig, why so quiet behind us?" The quiet and youngest cub looked up at the chestnut brown bird with serious eyes just likes his fathers.

"Oh… Um…" Ludwig struggled for words, looking the other way in process. "I was just thinking about our future… When we're kings, do ve need wives?"

"Well, of course you do!" Roderich smiled for once in three months. "I wouldn't know what you would do without children! But I'm still wondering how Tino got pregnant… But carrying to the main subject, when you get older and stronger, you'll be able to beat up those-"

"INSERT AWSEOME RANT HERE PLEASE."

~A Nation's King~

In the back of the proud, Pride Rock, Ivan slowly prowled across his den, kicking away a bone from the last meal he had. He had nearly padded to the edge of his den, when Gilbert came crashing in.

"Hey, Uncle Ivan!" The young one squealed with joy, finally finding him. "Guess what?" Ivan's eyes widened in disgust and sarcasm.

"Oh, I despise guessing games…"

"Me and Ludwig are gonna be King of Pride Rock! Isn't that awesome?"

"Oh, goodie, da." He smugly answered back, dropping himself on the rock floor of his den.

"Vati just showed me ze whole kingdom, and me and Ludvig vill rule it all…" He said to his unusually large uncle, chuckling right after.

"Yes…" He sighed sarcastically, blowing the dust off his snout. "Well, forgive me for not leaping with joy, da. Bad back, you know."

"Hey Uncle Scar." Gilbert laid on him, paws resting on the left ear and white mane. "When I become king, what'll that make you?"

"A monkey and an elephant's uncle." Gilbert chuckled some more after that, rolling over to come face to face with his big uncle.

"You're so weird!"

"You have no idea, da." He stared at him, smiling so weakly, Gilbert didn't even see it. "So, you're father showed you the whole kingdom, did he?" He asked, standing up to walk over somewhere random.

"Everything!" He persistently followed Ivan, smiling upon him.

"Did he show you what's beyond the dark shadow, did he?" Ivan stopped where he was, sitting down on the spot.

Gilbert's smile suddenly turned into a drop. "Well, no, he didn't… He said I can't go zere."

"And he's absolutely right, da! Far too dangerous, only the bravest lions can go there…" Ivan looked beyond the distance, trying to be dramatic as he could.

Gilbert perked up his ears. "Well, I'm brave! What's out there-?"

"I'm so sorry Gilbert, I just can't tell you, da." He looked away from him, trying to be drastic all over again, fooling him.

"Why not?"

"Gilbert, Gilbert, Gilbert, I'm only trying to look out for the wellbeing of my favourite nephew, da!" He cooed at his only nephew, ruffling his fur at the top of his head with his giant front paw.

"Really? I thought you liked Ludvig more than me! Is it just because I look similar to you?"

"Oh, that's even more of a reason to protect you! Even though, an Elephant graveyard is no place for two unprotected princes, da… Oops!" Ivan realised, even though it was fake, as he covered his mouth in surprise.

Gilbert took this as an opportunity to prove himself to be brave. "An elephant vat?" His own red eyes widened in delight, trying to look at his uncle directly at his face.

"Oh, dear, I said too much, da!" He covered his face drastically. "Well, I suppose you would've found out sooner or later, da. You are so clever and all. But promise me one thing" He grabbed little Gilbert, his big paw cover ing his whole shoulder-back. "Promise me to never, ever go to that place."

"No problem…" Gilbert smiled deviously.

"Good…" He cooed at him once more, releasing his grasp from him. Gilbert ran out of his uncle's den, looking back at him. "And remember, it's our little secret…"

~A Nation's King~

As Gilbert raced around nearly half the Pride Rock, Ludwig joined him where the lionesses were bathing.

"Hey, bruder!" He called out to Gilbert, who immediately stopped in his tracks.

"Hey, in a hurry to meet Elizavetha. Do you know vhere she is?" Gilbert asked rather quickly, looking around rapidly.

"Yeah… She's vith her moder, next to vere our mom usually is."

"Thanks for zat!" And Gilbert went on running downhill. Ludwig was a bit curious and confused about his brother now. What was he going to show Elizabeth? So, he ran after him, hoping to find out why the white cub was in a rush for his best friend.

Down at the nearest rocks where the lionesses dwell, the young princes raced downwards towards Elizabeth and her mother. Both cubs ran up to a certain female, Ludwig talking to Tino, his mother.

"Hi, Elizavetha"

"Hey, Gilbert!"

"Come on, I just heard of this great place near the-"

"Gilbert, can't you see that I'm in a middle of a bath here?" Elizabeth, a chestnut brown lioness cub with a lily on her head followed by a single long strand of fur, interrupted his whispers, letting her mother continue to lick herself clean.

"And it's time for yours, Gilbert~!" Tino sang behind him, grabbing his head with his mouth, carrying him into his paws, starting to lick him clean just like Feliks, Elizabeth's mother, did to his best friend.

"Mom!" He yelped in surprise, as the long tongue of his mother's licked this furry chest up to his nuzzle. "Mom, you're messing up my awesomeness, stop it!" Gilbert glared at him, Tino giving back a friendly smile as always. Tino was a kind and caring lion. He was one of those kinds of lion who can carry a child, thus Gilbert and Ludwig as his sons. There were more in the world, but no-one knows where they are… And no-one knows he can carry children like lionesses.

Gilbert leapt out of his paws, roughly stroking his fur. "Ok, ok I'm clean, can we go now?"

"So, where are we going? I'd better be no-where dumb." Elizabeth huffed, allowing Feliks to clean her bottom half now.

"No, it's really cool!"

"So, where is this _really cool_ place?" Tino asked them, trying to find out if they were going to be safe in going there.

"Oh…" Gilbert remembered. His mom was there. Dang, he sometimes cursed his bad memory… "Down by the… Watering Hole."

"The Watering Hole? What's so good about that?" Elizabeth erupted is confusion and anger. What's so great about a dumb old Watering Hole?

"I'll tell you when we get there…" The white cub whispered to her, giving her a sign that it is somewhere amazing.

Elizabeth received the sign, standing up on all fours. "Mom, can I go with Gilbert?" She asked Feliks nicely.

"Hm… Like, what do you think, Tino?" Feliks asked his friend right next to him.

"Hm…" He thought for a while, staring at the two cubs smiling widely with pearly teeth and big eyes.

"It's fine with me~" The two cubs jumped with joy, yelling out so loudly, it woke up the not-mentioned Ludwig from his slumber. "As long as Roderich goes with you."

"No, not him!"

"Step lively!" Roderich called from above, flying smoothly towards the Watering Hole with the cubs below. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave."

"So vhere are ve really going, Gilbert?" Ludwig asked at the right, with Gilbert at the middle and Elizabeth at the right.

"Yeah, where?" Elizabeth asked after Ludwig, bumping into Gilbert so he can spit it out already.

"Alright, alright… Ve're really going to an Elephant Graveyard." Both Elizabeth and Ludwig gasped in surprise, soon after giggling and chuckling in joy. "Guys, you have to be quiet so ve can go zere!"

"Right, so how are we going to ditch the dodo?" Ludwig asked him, still chuckling a bit.

"I've got a plan…"

Roderich glanced down for another check if the cubs were following him, instead seeing them chat away about something important of some sort. He then flew down as quiet as the savannah breeze, landing on his feet.

"Oh, look at you two…" He started, getting all the cubs attention. "Seeds of romance, blossoming around the savannah…"

"Are you talking about me and Ludwig?" Gilbert shouted in annoyance, Elizabeth giggling evilly and Ludwig looking away, embarrassed by Roderich saying such things about them two.

"No no, silly sausage!" Roderich cried out, flapping his wings near them to shut them up from their thoughts. "I meant you and Elizaveth!" The cubs looked at him with wide-eyes. "As I was saying…" He cleared his throught. "Your parents will be thrilled! What, with all you… Betroved and all."

"Be-what?" Gilbert asked in curiosity, having the feeling it's not a good word at all.

"Betroved! Intended, affianced…"

"Meaning…?" Elizabeth asked.

"One day, Elizaveth and Ludwig with get married!" Roderich told them ever so happily, the cubs responding in disgust.

"I can't marry her, she's mein best friend!" Gilbert stated to Roderich.

"Yeah, it'd be so weird!"

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble! But you two turtle doves have no choice! It's a tradition going back generations…"

"Vell when I'm king, zat'd be the first thing to go…" Gilbert acted all cool-headed.

"Not so long as I'm around."

"Well then, you're fired."

"Hm, nice try" The chestnut brown bird poked him on the wet nose. "But the king can only do that."

"Well, he's the future king, doesn't that count?" Elizabeth answered calmly.

"Yeah! So you have to do as I say!" He playfully pushed the brown bird away.

"Not yet, I don't! And with an attitude like that, I'm afraid you're shaking up to be a pretty pathetic king, Gilbert!" He yelled out to him, wings by his feathery hips. "Except you, Ludwig. You'd make a perfect king with that attitude." Ludwig grunted, may be meaning as an answer of 'thanks'.

"Oh yeah? Not the way I see it!" He pounced over to Roderich, stopping right in front of him and the whole scene changed from dull into seizure colourful.

"**I'm gonna be a mighty king,**

**So enemies' bevare!"**

**"Well, I've never seen a king of beasts with quite so little hair…"** He plucked a single strand of fur off from Gilbert.

**"I'm gonna be ze main event, like no king vas before!"** He pushed his head into a bush, showing off a red mane.

**"I'm brushing up on looking down; I'm vorking on my ROAR!"** He roared at Roderich, stumbling down into a mud puddle.

**"Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing…"** Roderich grabbed hold of what seems to be some sort of a huge towel, but in fact, it was an elephant's ear, so the biggest animal on land hit him away with its trunk.

**"Oh, I just can't wait to be king!"** Gilbert ran along with Ludwig and Elizabeth, skidding across the shallow puddle scaring flamingos away while Roderich skidded like a stone across water.

"You've rather a long way to go, young master!" Roderich teetered out of the water. "If you think-"

**"No more saying 'do this'"** Gilbert sang first.

"Now when I said that, I-"

**"No more saying 'be there'~!"** Elizabeth sang after, while Gilbert pulled a ridiculous face at Roderich.

"What I meant was-"

**"No more saying, 'stop zat'!"** Ludwig finally joined in, as Roderich's eyes widened in betrayal and surprise as he saw Elizabeth and Gilbert pull faces at him.

"Wh-! What you don't realise-"

**"No more saying 'see here'!"** They all sang in a chorus.

"Now see, here!" Roderich screamed his head off, nearly trampled over by the ostriches Elizabeth and Gilbert rode on, Ludwig running after them.

**"Ve vill run around all day"**

"Well, that's defiantly out…"

**"Free to do it all my vay!**" Gilbert sang again, as Roderich flew by some multi-coloured trees and flew right next to him.

**"I think it's time for you and I arranged a heart-to-heart!"** The chestnut brown bird crashed into a rhinoceros' buttocks.

**"Kings don't need advice from little hornbills for a start."** Gilbert mocked him, running away again with the ostrich.

**"If this is where the monarchy is headin', count me out!"** He landed on a floating log nearby.** "Out of service, out of the world, I wouldn't hang about!"** He shouted as he fell down the waterfall behind him, flying up again to consult with the young masters.

**"This child is getting wildly out of wing!"**

**"Oh, I just can't vait to be king!"** Gilbert yelped for joy, as a hoard of zebras created a path for him. But as Roderich waddled by, the zebras turned to their behinds with their tails as straight as a stick, the bird covering himself with his wings.

A family of elephants stomped to the beat, the earth rumbling against their weight and strength. The three cubs ran like wild to avoid getting flattened, having some fun at the same time. Roderich tried to find them from above, but all the red elephants stood in his way, having it being difficult on him.

**"Everybody look left!"** Gilbert commanded them while singing on top of a giraffe, as every animal in the scene trampled over poor defenceless Roderich.

**"Everybody look right!"** All the other animals trampled over Roderich yet again.

**"Everywhere you look I'm…"** Gilbert bounced on many giraffe's head, as he looked at Ludwig at the giraffe's back, letting him take over for the rest of the song, sliding down to him.

**"… Standing spotlight!"** As they did an awesome pose right after that line.

"Not… Yet!" He struggled to speak as he was stuck between two animals' buttocks, as he was crushed yet again.

**"_Let every creature go for broke and sing…" _**The animals sang as Gilbert whispered to a hippopotamus' ear, the hippo then passing it on the giraffe, finally passing it on to the unusual blue monkey, like Chinese Whispers.

**"_Let's hear it on the herd and on the wing…" _**The crocodiles sang along, opening their mouths to reveal many colour birds at sight. While that, the monkeys' grabbed hold of Roderich, taking him high up into the tree they were in.

**"_It's gonna be King Gilbert's final swing!" _**They finished their bit of the song, as the giraffes flung the three certain cubs into the air. The monkeys who stole Roderich from the ground were found picking on his feathers, searching for lice to eat.

**"Oh I just can't wait to be king!"** The whole scene was now in an animal pyramid, the red elephants circling around in the bottom and the hippos appearing above them, what might be standing on other elephants below.

**"Oh, I just can't wait to be king!"** The giraffes then sprang out from the hippos; coming after them was the normal coloured ant-eaters. The antelope suddenly appeared before them, holding out their massive black horns. Last came just one ostrich, pulling its neck out and flipping down its tail feathers, revealing Elizabeth, Ludwig and Gilbert, all of the animals singing in synch.

**"Oh I just can't wait…"** The elephants just suddenly dropped, as the familiar voice of "Oh, just shut up!" rang throught the song. As the elephants fell over to a simple stick, the pyramid dramatically fell with them, beginning with the ostrich's buttocks landing on an anteaters head, as a deformed party blower was coming from the anteater's mouth.

**"To be king!"** Two giraffes' necks constricted together, throwing off two other anteaters off into the savannah grass. Somehow, an elephant fell down from the sky and unsuspected landed on the antelopes proud horn, as the elephant yelled out in pain. Roderich in the end mysteriously succeeded to carry a fully grown rhinoceros, before getting crush by the over-weight of it.

All the animals fled from the scene, including the three cubs. But Roderich didn't know.

"I beg your pardon madam, but get off!" He muffled through the rhino's buttocks. "Gilbert? Ludwig? Elizabeth?"

* * *

And that's the end! Sorry for the long wait everyone, it's just I was too tired and not bothered to write so… yeah. I had to post this up now, because I'll be going to this Youth Camp thing and I wanted the beloved Americans to read this, not just tomorrow! Some people are impatient, you know! X3

Reviews are Dearly Beloved! And points to all of you who got that Kingdom Hearts reference!

EDIT: And because of certain beloved reviewer, I fixed Elizabeth's name! When it's not speaking and it's like the descriptive words and so, it's Elizabeth. When Gilbert and Ludwig say her name, it's Elizabetha. And when it's not them two saying her name, it's Elizaveth. Good, no? =D All that because who would flame this story? (Someone who hates Disney and Hetalia alltogether... But I dont think I've met anyone like that!)


	3. Chapter 3 The Hyenas

Author's Notes: F***, I haven't updated for 6 months… Sorry dear readers, I was busy with school, video games, other stories, sleeping, drawing and crap. FORGIVE MEH (gets hit by a flying shoe) Plus, I now have the Lion King Blue-ray and DVD! Now I have no troubles with the internet and finding Lion King Movies and internet connection problems, I will happily update every few weeks or so! If more, I'm busy with video games XD (mainly Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword DX)

Anyways, enjoy this chapter, and if it's bit rubbish at the middle, that's the part where I was a bit too lazy… Anyways, enjoy! And please remember I'm not the best writer, I write to get it out of my head!

Belgium: Bella

Egypt: Ceasar, or Cea

* * *

Far away from Roderich as possible, the three cubs, Gilbert, Ludwig and Elizabeth raced each other and laughing hard until they found a hiding spot, just in case Roderich escaped the heavy rhino and found them in the Outlands. They'd be killed by their dads, literally!

"Yes, it vorked!" Gilbert cheered happily and loudly to the other cubs, cheering right afterwards.

"We lost him!" Elizabeth commented after settling down from her giggling fit.

"I am a genius, aren't I?" Gilbert suspiciously eyed Elizabeth, waiting for her answer very carefully.

The lioness cub's smile suddenly decreased into a bit of a frown. "Hey, it was my idea too!"

"Yeah, but I pulled it off."

"With me!"

"Oh yeah?" Gilbert the white lion cub then pounced at her out of the blue, two of the lion cubs rolling over each other and Ludwig just following them very quietly. The rolling of the two cubs stopped, as Elizabeth pinned Gilbert down, meaning she won the fight.

"Pinned ya!" The tomboy lioness declared to the other, walking off to Ludwig. "Hi Luddy~"

"Hello…" The other brother quietly replied to her, looking down once again. Just then, Gilbert pounced on both of them, all cubs stumbled onto one another and elapsed over a steep ledge, Elizabeth pinning Gilbert down again after they stopped rolling.

"Ha, pinned you again, this time with your little brother!" Elizabeth purred slightly, letting go of the captive princes. Suddenly, a huge blast of smoke from underneath startled them, causing them to stare that way. While the smoke settled, they came in face to face with deceased elephant skulls, scattered all around as the eye could see. Dumbfounded by the new discovery, the three lion cubs curiously walked up towards it.

"Zis is it… Ve finally made it!" Exclaimed the white cub, viewing the site all around him

"Yeah, 'cause of me!" protested Elizabeth, pouncing on the prince once more for a play fight. At the time those two fought, Ludwig glanced over the skull's tusk, his eyes amazed of what else he saw. There, he saw millions of deceased bodies which looked as if they were killed inhumanely. He slowly backed away, as a flurry of feathers surprised him for behind. The feathers were chocolate brown, and the bird himself was very mad at the trio of lions.

"And where do you think you are?" Roderich questioned the young lions, flying right in front of their faces. Oh yes, he was mad indeed.

"I think we're in… Something called an Elephant Graveyard?" Ludwig answered for the team, as the other two were still busy play fighting.

"We'll I'll tell you where we are! We're far away from the light, _very _far away from home!" The chestnut brown hornbill panicked almost, as little feathers started to moult from his body.

As the two fighting duo heard the chestnut brown bird in a panicky tone, they immediately stopped fighting. Gilbert smirked and padded closer to the hornbill.

"Vell, I say that Mr chocolate feathers is scared!" Gilbert mocked, smirking at the small brown hornbill.

"Hey, that's **MR **chocolate feathers to you, furball and right now, we are all in very real danger in the Shadow Lands!" Roderich panicked, as the only white lion cub trotted straight past him.

"Danger? I valk on the wild side." Gilbert scoffed as he neared the elephant skull, not aware of anyone else. "I laugh at ze face of danger…" And right then, he just laughed an evil laugh. Although, he didn't mean it, he was just playing around. But, he never thought of anyone living in the Shadow Lands…

Suddenly, a laughing fit emerged from the deceased skull, surprising Gilbert so much, his fur almost stood up as he skidded past the group to hide behind Elizabeth. All of the group almost lost their soul to be honest, things shouldn't be living in the elephant graveyard. As slowly as can be, a trio of dark coloured hyenas crawled out of the skull in different ways, still laughing for some reason.

"Well, well, well, Sadiq, what have we got here?" The lead hyena spoke, as to the sound of her voice, she was defiantly a female.

"Hmm, I don't know, Bella… What do you think, Ceasar?" The middle hyena, Sadiq asked the one behind him, who was chuckling like mad as if he had a disorder of laughing.

"Yeah, just what I was saying…" Sadiq guessed at what the wild hyena said, as they inched closer to the invaders of their land. "… A trio of trespassers!"

"And quite by accident, let me reassure you…!" Roderich said with a shiver in his tone, as the three hyenas started to surround them. "A simple navigation error!"

Without delay, one of the female hyenas, Bella, grabbed the chestnut brown bird by his tail stopping his in his tracks.

"Hey, wait a minute. I know you… You're Berwald's little stooge!" She said mischievously, eyeing on the tiny hornbill.

"I, madam, am the king's major supervisor!" He simply huffed at the comment as he dusted his feathers to hide his half shattered pride.

"So what does that make you guys then?" Sadiq questioned the trio while circling around them like vultures. Elizabeth and Ludwig were cowering behind the brave Gilbert.

"I and Ludwig are going to be the future kings!" Gilbert abruptly spoke out to them.

"Do you know what we do to kings who step out of their land?" Bella asked them, as she thought they would have no idea of what she was saying to them.

Gilbert scoffed at that comment. "You can't do anything to us…"

"Technically, they can, we are on their land…"

"But Roderich, you told us zat zey vere nothing but slobbery, mangy, stupid poachers!" Ludwig interrupted, as the white lion cub could tell that Ludwig was a bit angry.

"Ixnay on the Oopin stay…!" The auburn bird nervously said, or rather, loudly whispered to the small lions.

"Who are you callin' Oopin stay!" Sadiq blurted on their conversation, a bit annoyed that he didn't know what that meant.

"My my, look at the sun, it's time to go!" The beige hornbill excused himself as quickly as possible to protect the fellow lion cubs from disaster. In a flash, Bella the sand coloured hyena was right in front of them, stopping them in their tracks once more.

Whoa, what's the rush? We'd love for you to stick around for dinner…" Bella gazed at them smoothly, backing them up to the other hyenas that were hungry as a… Well, a starving dog.

"Yeah, we could have whatever's…"Sadiq thought for a while. "… _Lion around_!" The dark auburn hyena snorted at his own joke. The other dogs joined in with the laughter, rolling around in the dry and dusty dirt.

As Bella calmed down from the laughter hyenas were famous or, she thought of another pun about lion cubs for lunch. "I got one; make mine, a _cub sandwich!_ What did you think of that one?" Right after her sentence, she just died of laughter.

Rather randomly to the wild dogs, Ceasar just jumped up and down rather awkwardly and distorted in front of Bella to attract attention.

"What, Cea?" She asked, quite annoyed that he didn't laugh along. He was pointing at a certain direction on where the lion cubs were, as Sadiq followed his arm to where he was actually pointing.

"Hey, did we order this dinner to go?"

"No, why?"

"'Cause there it goes!" Sadiq shouted at her, senses of hunger alerted and began to chase after the vulnerable little animals.

~A Nation's king~

The triad of lion cubs ran through expired skeletons in the elephant graveyard, desperately trying to keep up with the speeding bird. As the auburn bird raced along the path to alert Berwald of the danger, a dark grey paw came up and snatched him up. The cubs suddenly lost track of Roderich, and of the hyenas. They looked around to see if they were safe for now.

"Did we lose 'em?" Elizabeth asked, panting as she was out of breath.

"I zhink so…" Gilbert replied while panting, as the little lions just didn't have enough energy to run very far yet. "Where's Roderich…?"

But as they didn't know, both Roderich _and _the hyenas were very close by. Sadiq grabbed the bird by his wings, as if he was a little doll.

"As the little major-domo bird hippety-hopped all the way to the birdie boiler, he flew higher than he ever did before!" Sadiq sing-songed, grasping the little bird and pushed him in the so called 'birdie boiler', as it was just a little crater filled with lava.

"What does that even-" But before Roderich could finished his sentence, he flew up way higher than he did before with a little smoke and screams of pain following him.

The hyenas died of laughter, hurling in such ways and tearing up from the hilarity.

"Hey, why don't you pick on somebody your own size?" Gilbert blurted out on top of a skeleton elephant.

"Like… You?" Bella suggested, the other wild dogs starting to inch forwards for the kill.

"Oops."

As the dark grey dogs targeted their new prey, the cubs just ran for their lives. Nearing a steam geyser, the hyenas just outran them and scared the living ship out of them, popping their heads out of the hot steam and all in union, saying "boo" The young lions skidded the other way, the hyenas chasing after them in full speed.

Clawing their way up an expired skull, they slid down the bumpy spine and were flung high up. Landing on a hill full of bones and skulls, they used their claws once again to climb up the rather large hill. With the hyenas closing in, Gilbert reached the top, Ludwig second, before hearing a voice of help.

"Ludwig!" Elizabeth screamed for the nearest lion as Ludwig came to the rescue. Just as Bella was about to nearly kill Elizabeth; Ludwig scratched her in the left cheek, leaving a blood-red mark. He helped his female friend up and the cubs went on to running for their lives.

Running towards a cave with a huge skeleton inside, they climbed up to the highest point where they could escape and clawed the cliff, in hopes of reaching it. The bones couldn't hold out on their weight, collapsing underneath them, leaving them now tired and vulnerable. The hyenas closed in for the kill.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty…" Sadiq called for them, inching closer to the cubs with a drooling mouth and an empty stomach. The other hyenas followed with Sadiq, Ceasar with his usual Joker face and Bella smiling devilishly at them.

Just as Gilbert ran out of hope, Ludwig stood up and roared his best roar, which actually sounded like a squeak.

"That was it?" Bella scoffed, looking back at the cub. "Do it again, come on…"

As Ludwig roared again, it mysteriously amplified and it sounded like a real lion's roar. Before the hyenas could calculate on what was going on, the king of Pride Rock pounced on them, starting a fight on somebody their own size. He slapped them with his huge paws with all the strength he had, claws intact. Sadiq climbed up his back, tearing a few of the pale yellow fur before Berwald grabbed him with his teeth and hurled him on the floor. As the fight continued, Roderich flew down to the cubs, rather enjoying the fight with the cats and dogs before realising the pain the hyenas were suffering from.

The hyenas lost, as the lion king herded them beneath them, cowering and shivering in defeat.

"Please, please! Uncle, uncle!"

"Silence!" The loud voice of Berwald silenced them for his warning.

"We're gonna shut up right now!"

"Calm down, we're really sorry." Sadiq and Bella both said, as the hideous dogs used their front arms to brace themselves for the punishment.

"'f you ever c'me near m' tw' sons 'gain…" Berwald warned them, the hyenas immediately knew to act dumb.

"These… These are your sons?" Bella played dumb, remembering what the little white cub said. "Did you know that?"

"No. Me? I didn't know… No, did you?" Sadiq asked quickly and panicked, afraid if they did intend to eat the future king.

"No, of course not!"

"No!"

"… Ceasar?" They both asked. Of course, the dumb hyena didn't pick up on their intentions, so he nodded very stupidly.

The king roared furiously, now knowing they were acting dumb. The dogs, cowered once more, said a quick goodbye and ran faster than their full speed on the chase. Roderich flew down after the dogs were chased away, but Berwald just gave him a furious stare. The cubs padded towards him, as Elizabeth hide behind the two male ones.

Ludwig was the one to speak out first. "Dad, we-"

"Yo' deliberately dis'beyed m'." He looked at his sons, still very angry and worried.

It was Gilbert turn to apologise. "Dad, we're sorry!"

"L't's go h'me." He plainly said before heading to the exit of the cave and getting out of the graveyard.

"I thought you guys were very brave…" Elizabeth said to the two lions, attempting to cheer them up.

It didn't work. But as none of them looked back at the cliff the trio were trying to climb, Uncle Ivan was not pleased with the results.

Walking across the sunset lit savannah, Berwald walked far faster than the rest of the troop, as they were lagging behind from the incident. Elizabeth took a glance at the two depressed brothers before looking down at the dry dirt again.

"Roderich."

The said bird swooped over to the king's side, a little bit scared of the up-coming sentence. "Y-yes sir?"

"Take 'lizabeth h'me. 've got t' talk to m' s'ns." When he slid that, Gilbert lowered into the grass, ears down with fear.

Roderich, slightly relieved of the 'calm' sentence, glided over to the frightened future kings.

"Come, Elizabetha. Ludwig, Gilbert…" A sigh from the supervisor. "… Good luck." He said before flying home with Elizabeth.

"Ludwig, Gilbert!" Berwald called the brother with a stern voice. Gilbert looked at his Iron Cross, before sighing and obeying his father's command. Ludwig followed behind, cowering behind his older brother. As Gilbert sat beside his father, Ludwig stepped on his father's footprint. He wondered for a moment, asking himself how he can make himself as big as his father overtime. Slowly, he sat beside his brother, lowering his head for the punishment.

"Ludwig, Gilbert… I 'm very d'sappointed 'n yo'." He said almost worryingly.

"I know…" Gilbert said glumly.

"Yo' could've been k'lled. You del'berately d'sobeyed m', and wh't's worse, yo' p't Elizabetha 'n d'nger!" Their father stated.

Gilbert choked in a sob. "I was… We were trying to be brave just like you…!"

"I'm 'nly brave wh'n I h've to be." The king said in a calm tone in his voice, finally understanding the situation behind this. "G'ys, being br've doesn't mean yo' g' looking f'r trouble."

"But you're not scared of anyzhing." Ludwig snapped out of his little depression trance of his, looking up to his father.

The king sighed, looking away from his sons before replying.

"I w's tod'y."

"You were?"

"Yes." He leaned down gracefully where his two little baby lions sat, now at the same height of them. "I tho'ght I m'ght lose m' two d'rest sons."

"Oh…" Gilbert said in depression, almost saying it as if he was not happy that a superior being had fears. "I guess even kings get scared, huh?"

"But you know what?" Ludwig commented on the conversation, inching closer to whisper something in his relatives' ears. "I think those hyenas were even scareder…!"

A small laugh escaped from the king's own mouth. "'C'use n'-body m'sses w'th yo'r dad…! C'me 'ere!" And he locked his front paws with both of his sons, first giving Gilbert a hard nudge on his head before giving Ludwig one as well. As Ludwig struggled to get out of the grasp, the other lion cub squeezed past the arm of his father and tackled Berwald, freeing his only brother.

"Come here!" Gilbert cried out to King Berwald, who was running away laughing as if it was a game of tag. As Ludwig regained his strength to run, Gilbert already tackled their dad twice. The other cub that didn't play with his dad much joined in the dog pile, playfully biting his ear while the larger turned to his side with laughter.

As the trio settled down, Gilbert slid off from his father's mane while Ludwig rested on top of it.

"Hey, Dad?" Gilbert asked the much larger figure. "We're pals right?"

"Right." Berwald answered with a small chuckle.

"And we'll always be together, right?" The resting cub asked, but the face his daddy made was a bit serious and sad in reply. He tried to figure out what he just said, but he just never did. Berwald sat up, Ludwig still on his pale gold mane.

"Gilbert, Ludwig, l't me t'll yo' s'meth'ng th't m' fath'r t'ld m'. Look 't th' stars." His sons obeyed to his soft command. "Th' great k'ngs 'f th' past look d'wn on 's fr'm those stars."

"Really?" Both siblings asked together.

"Y's. S' wh'never yo' feel al'ne, j'st rememb'r th't th'se kings w'll always b' th're t' guide yo'." He hesitated saying the last sentence with a pause. "'nd s' w'll I."

~A Nation's King~

Deep within the Shadow lands, green acidic lava bubbles up and created a forest green colour of steam. Load and loads of rocks were somehow piled up and made pathways and little homes. And guess who lived here?

"Man, that lousy Berwald. I won't be able to sit for a week!" A familiar male voice echoed through the green caves. It was quickly followed by quick paced laughing. Just through another pathway of rocks, there sat Sadiq and the crazy Ceasar, who was laughing his head off from Sadiq's butt sctratches.

"It's not funny, Cea." But before he could boil with anger, the stricken hyena laughed out loud even harder, causing the ingured wild dog to start a fight with the laughing hyena.

Just above ground, Bella was on the lookout for Scar, as she was hungry as hell. She suddenly hears the commotion. "Will you two quit it?"

Just as it looked like Ceasar was chewing on the ingured dogs leg, he quickly let momentum put him down. "Well, he started it!"

"Look at you guys. No wonder we're dangling at the bottom of the food chain!"

"Man, I hate dangling." He protested while a long chain of saliva dangled down his chin.

"Yeah? If it weren't for those lions, we'd be runnin' up the food chain like naturals!"

"Man, I hate lions!"

"So pushy…"

"And hairy…"

"And stinky!"

"And man are they _**ugly!**_" Both Bella and Sadiq said in union, crackling with laughter after that.

"Oh, surely we lions are not all bad, da?" An uncle's voice rang through their eardrums. The hyenas looked up in lightning speed as they heard the voice, only finding it as just Ivan.

"Oh Ivan, it's just you!" Sadiq said with a small laugh.

"Yeah, we were afraid it was somebody important!"

"Yeah, you know, like Berwald!"

Ivan the pure white lion twitched slightly at the mentioned name. He despised his brother just that much, seriously. "I see…"

"Now that's power, good thing you're our pal!"

"Tell me about it, not a king, but still so proper to us!"

"Yeah. Hey, did you bring us anything to eat? Ivan, old buddy, old pal? Huh? Did ya, did ya, did ya?"

Ivan smirked at that comment. He knew that they didn't kill the lion cubs he practically gift wrapped for them. Oh well.

"I don't think you really deserve this." He plainly said, holding out a carcass of a zebra's leg. Just as he pulled out the piece of meat in front of him, the starving dogs, hungry as they are, drooled and anted at the sight. "I practically gift-wrapped those cubs for you, and you couldn't even dispose of them." And he dropped it.

The hyenas followed the dear scent and eyesore and immediately feasted. As the dogs tore off the skin, Bella looked up at the mighty lion on top of the highest rock.

"Well, you know Ivan, it wasn't exactly like they were alone." Bella complained with a full mouth.

"Yeah. What are we supposed to do?" Sadiq also said in a full mouth, swallowing it full before resuming his suggestion. "Kill Berwald?"

"Precisely…~"

Just as the hyenas could figure out how, Ivan jumped down from his high rock and landed in the middle of the trio with a thump. As Ceasar grabbed the unfinished zebra thigh, Ivan padded along the rocky ground, green steam erupting out of the ground almost in rhythm.

"**I know that your powers of retention are as wet as a warthog's backside…"** He sang as he crept towards the stupid hyena, Ceasar.

"**But thick as you are, pay attention!" **He threw the clean bone off the hyena's mouth. **"My words are a matter of pride…"**

"**It's clear from your vacant expressions." **He waved his paw right in front the saluting hyena's face, expression dulling to become the normally stupid hyena he is**. "The lights are not all on upstairs."**

"**But we're talking kings and successions…!" **Bella and Sadiq cackled at the steamy background. **"Even you can't be caught unawares!" **He scared them, felling the dogs backwards into two active geysers.

**"So prepare for the chance of a lifetime"** He sang in tune to his song as Bella and Sadiq fell from a great height and survived. **"Be prepared for sensational news!"**

**"A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer"**

**"And where do we feature?"** Bella joined in for a short time with the song, before being grabbed by the cheek.

**"Just listen to teacher. I know it souns sordid, but you'll be rewarded, when at last I am given my dues… And injustice deliciously squared, be prepared!"** He finished his lines right after he kicked Ceasar off a short cliff, landing on a pile of scattered bones.

"Yeah, be prepared. We'll be prepared! For what?" The other hyenas mysteriously appeared out of the cluster for some reason.

"For the death of the king!" Ivan announced mid-way of his song.

"What, is he sick?"

"No, fool, we're going to kill him… And those two brats too…"

"Great idea, who needs a king?" Bella mocked, the only duo of hyenas that talked in the trio sang at the plan.

"Idiots! There will be a king!"

"Hey, but you said-"

"I will be king! Stick with me, and you'll never grow hungry again!" As he said that, the green steamy background turned an amber colour mysteriously. As the triad of hyenas praised at the plan Ivan thought up of, the rest of hyenas, hundreds and hundreds of them,

Heard of the plan and chanted along with the original hyenas.

"Long live King Ivan! Long live the king!"

**"It's great that we'll soon be connected, with a king that'll be all time adored!"** The army of hyenas sang, turning their heads at Ivan's way when they passed by his in the march.

**"Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected, to take certain duties on board…~"** He said with a clawed animal finger running along his neck.

**"The future is littered with prizes, and though I'm the main addressee…"** He jumped down in front of the hyena army, now scattering in all directions. **"The point that I must emphasise is, you won't get a sniff without me!"** And the background turned blood red as one of the hyenas fell into the new cracks of the earth.

**"So prepare for the coup of the century, be prepared for the murkiest scam!"** He jumped onto various moving pillars as the earth shifted in a very tiny place on the world map.

**"Meticulous planning"**

_**"We'll have food,"**_

**"Tenacity spanning"**

_**"Lots of food"**_

**"Decades of denial"**

_**"We repeat, endless meat!"**_

**"Is simply why I'll, be king undisputed, respected, saluted, and seen for the wonder I am!"** He sang to the near end of his song, the pillar he was standing on rose up so high, he could feel like he could capture the crescent moon with a hug.

**"Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared, be prepared!"** the hyena army played around and danced in the erupting caves, playing with skeleton xylophones and gazelle upper bodies.

_**"Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared!"**_

_**"Be prepared!"**_ Ivan ended his musical plan, as his hyena army and himself laughed evilly from the elephant graveyard.

* * *

Sorry that I got a bit lazy at the end, I was kind of rushing cause I'm not allowed on the computer on schooldays and I don't want to post it up next week after it hasn't been updated for so long! But still, here you go.


	4. Chapter 4 'Death of the king'

Author's Note:

I'M SO SORRY

that I haven't updated in a l0ng time

I, UHH, DISCOVERED A LOT OF THINGS,

Whiile ii wa2 away

:33 so purlease furgive me! *ao offers apology cookies to the reader*

Enjoy The Cookies, Or Biscuits Where I Live Right Now.

YOU KNOW, TH3 V3RY 'POSH' COUNTRY, TH3 COUNTRY W3 4LL LOV3

And if you haven't not8ced, I've 8een wr8ting a new story, which will have sh8rt chapters.

D- anyways, back to the p100t.

iM vErY sOrRy, AnD iLl KeEp On SaYiNg ThIs FoR…

I don't knoww, the next chapters wwhich take long?

Well, I )(ope that seattled t)(e cause of my writers block!

Enjoy this veeeeery short chapter. X3 well, I think it's a short chapter…

NOT BETA'D.

* * *

After a very long and refreshing sleep, both Gilbert and Ludwig were welcomed by the morning light of the next day. They both yawned and stretched their tired muscles, in attempts to wake themselves up for the day of more fun ahead. But before they got out of their cosy cave where the whole pride lived in, their huge Uncle Ivan stood at the exit of the cave.

"Ah, my little nephews. Going out again for today, da?" Their uncle asked. They both looked at him with rather sleepy eyes. "I guess that's a yes, maybe a no. Well, before you do, come have a walk with me. It will entertain you for a bit, da?"

The still rather sleepy cubs looked at each other, before they looked back at their uncle, nodding very sleepily.

"Good, good."

~A Nation's King~

Right at the corner of the Midlands, there was a great, deserted Canyon which the wildebeest loved to hang around near it. As the white clouds rolled over the land, Ivan and his two nephews were seen padding to the nearest tree.

"Now, you boys wait here. Your father has a marvellous surprise for both of you!" Ivan said with a bit of joy in it.

"Oh, vhat is it?" Ludwig asked, not groggy at all from sleep. Gilbert was still a bit tired though.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise now, would it?"

"If you tell us, ve'll still act surprised." Ludwig answered back, nudging Gilbert, who was now perched on the rock, lying down and closing his eyes.

Ivan laughed at that point. "Ha, you are such a naughty boy…"

"Come on Uncle Ivan!" Ludwig protested, hugging his uncle's left front limb.

"No, no, no. This is just for you, your brother and your dad. You know, a son-to-father thing." The white lion explained to the two cubs. One of them was sulking and the other was sleeping soundlessly. "Well, I'd better go get him now. You two just stay here, ok?"

"Ok Uncle Ivan. But vhat should ve do vhile you're gone?" Ludwig asked.

"Well, I think you should work on that roar you both have. A king does need to have a very good roar." And with that, their uncle was off to go and get their father.

While the two were 'waiting' for their father, Ivan sneaked off and climbed to the highest point in the canyon where he could see the very large herd of wildebeest, which were happily eating away at the green grass below them. Nearly at the edge of the grass field was a little rock formation which shaped a little triangle. Inside the little formation were three **very **hungry hyenas. One of their bellies rumbled very loudly.

"Argh, I can't help it! I'm so hungry…" One of them rambled one, who was Sadiq. "I gotta have a wildebeest…!"

The only female of the trio pushed him back. "Stay put!"

"Can't I just pick off one of the little sick ones?"

"No. We wait for the signal from Ivan." Bella commanded the two, waiting for Ivan's signal.

At that exact moment, Ivan appeared slyly on one of the edges of the canyon, smirking evilly at the hyenas.

"There he is! Let's go."

~A Nation's King~

Back with the two cubs, Gilbert was still sleeping while Ludwig was grumbling on about his roar. He had an idea and turned to his brother, who was still fast asleep. He smiled and playfully pushed Gilbert off the rock in attempt to wake him up. It worked.

"Gilbert, vake up! Dad and Ivan might be here shortly, and I von't let you sleep right though our surprise!" Ludwig exclaimed to his bro, who was on the verge to seriously scratch Ludwig just because he pushed him off his cosy rock.

"Argh… I don't care, I'm just really sleepy. And I don't vant to be disturbed!" Gilbert growled slightly. He doesn't know why he's so sleepy. He just is.

"Well, you can sleep aftervards. But ve need to practice our roar first!" Ludwig insisted, receiving a sleepy groan from Gilbert.

"Fine. You first though…"

"Alright." And with that, Ludwig took in a deep breath, and with all his might, let out his still working roar. It was a mix between a squeak and a lion who lost its courage to roar very loudly. But it was still loud enough to echo all through the canyon, which Gilbert was pretty impressed of.

Suddenly, there was a slight rumbling sound. Both cubs looked around fearfully before looking at the tiny pebbles beneath them. They were jumping around the dry ground for some reason. After that, they both heard a bunch of bird calls which resulted them being engulfed in fear as they turned towards the birds. Just after the flock of birds flew out, the stampede came running down into the canyon.

~A Nation's King~

The whole herd were stampeding out of control down into the now dusty canyon. They canyon was very wide, and the wildebeest came from one side, heading to the other side. And Gilbert and Ludwig were in the way. Fighting the fear out of his body, Gilbert, with huge eyes full of fear, screamed one word at Ludwig.

"Run!"

And they ran.

Tens and thousands of hoofed beasts came running down the canyon slope, with three grey spotted hyenas came running after them, snapping their jaws at them like cowboys herding cows. The trio stopped at the edge of the slope, but the two cubs running for their lives at the bottom didn't.

Meanwhile, at the distance, Berwald and Roderich were scouring their kingdom daily when the brown bird noticed something very dusty and big.

"Look sire, the herd of wildebeest is on the move."

"Odd…"

But then, Ivan came out of no-where, with an extremely worried face. "Berwald! Stampede in the gorge… Gilbert and Ludwig are in there!"

Berwald was devastated at the fact. His sons were in a raging stampede! Without a word, he leaped off the huge rock and ran towards the canyon gorge.

Ludwig and Gilbert were still running for their lives. And they were getting tired. From that, the wildebeest then easily out ran the two cubs, their hooves flicking the flakes of the dry ground as they ran. The siblings were running out of breath fast, and they were already in the middle of the stampede. At that moment, Gilbert spotted a dead tree branch nearby, and he beckoned his brother to follow him, as he was out of breath and too tired to speak words. They clawed the branch to hold onto their dear life as the stampede trampled over everything in the gorge. Ludwig held onto the near edge of the poor branch, Gilbert was at the near start section on the branch, his face clearly showing that fear has engulfed him entirely.

While everything the siblings did happened, the two adult lions pounced and ran towards the doom of the gorge, one of them trying to save precious lives, the other… Well, you'll know soon. Roderich flew ahead of them, as his light bone structure helped him fly very fast unlike most of the times he just glided slowly. The hornbill scouted the area very quickly, and found the subs within seconds of starting, diving towards the struggling brothers.

"Roderich, help us!" They both screamed and shouted at the same time, wanting to just get out of this mess fast.

"Berwald is on the way, hold on while you can!"

"Hurry up!"

Not far, Berwald and Ivan skidded down a small slope leading into the gorge. The plastered face on Berwald was both scared and angry. Milliseconds after they went in, Roderich flew beside them and shouted

"There! On that branch!"

Berwald's eyesight followed where his wings were pointing. He saw everything.

"Hold 'n guys!"

The branch began to snap. "Dad!"

Quickly, the mighty king leapt down to the stampede and his doomed sons, joining in with the stampede, running towards them with all of his speed. On the previous spot, Roderich was having a panic attack.

"Oh gosh, what do we do? I know, I'll go get some help right now, yes I'll do that. I'll go-"Before he can even start, Ivan slapped him into a rock wall, slamming face first and undergoing unconsciousness.

Running with the stampede and then against the stampede, Berwald stumbled as some of the wildebeest did not notice him and kind of leaped over him, making the king duck or even struggle a bit. He still kept an eye on his sons, when suddenly a wildebeest rammed into the dead tree, destroying it as the royal siblings were flung into the dusty air. And with a giant faith leap, Berwald managed to catch both sons, which I will not explain how. With claws intact, Berwald then ran, planning an escape plan at the same time. At the long edges of the gorge, Ivan eyed the high royals carefully with alluring eyes which were filled with greed.

Back to the three relatives, again, another wildebeest rammed into the father, losing his grip on his sons, who were flung to the side, miraculously avoiding some trampling hooves while at it. Looking around in shock and fear, before they could move a step, Berwald yet again grabbed both of them impossibly and ran for their lives. Leaping again towards a very low but high enough edge, he planted his two sons there for safe keeping. But as soon as he was about to get up on the ledge himself, he was carried off by some stupid wildebeest again. His boys shouted for him, one calling his name every chance he can take, while the other scoured the area he had fallen in. It wasn't long until the king did, yet again, another leap of faith, digging his claws onto the rocky cliff. Using that advantage, he climbed up the cliff using his claws. With that, Ludwig and Gilbert smiled at that. But seeing that the ledge they were on was too small and far, the king just climbed up further. Wanting to see his father at the top, the two brothers also tried to reach that spot.

At the near edge of the cliff, Berwald struggled to get himself up now. He looked up to see his faithful brother.

"Iv'n!" He struggled to say, about to fall off any moment. "Br'ther, help me…!"

With a moment of aggression and rage, Ivan grabbed his brother's paws with his claws, digging them into his flash as hard as he can. With a roar of pain from Berwald, Ivan said his final words to him,

"Long live, the king…~"

And he let go, pummelling down into the death stampede below, with the background screaming from the two boys.

~A Nation's King~

Not even noticing that his uncle Ivan committed the murder, Ludwig and Gilbert raced down to the clearing stampede, in hopes to find their father still alive. From the dusty remains of the gorge and a million and one wildebeest, they looked around the area with near tears in their eyes. They called out to him. They got no response, but a moment later, they heard some fast steps coming in towards them. In hopes that it was their dad alive and well, their eyes were filled with a bit of hope. But it was just a lone wildebeest left behind the herd.

What they did find, though, was at the dead and broken tree branch, was something long and thin hanging from it. Curious on what it is, they crawled slowly towards it. Gilbert gasped at this point. It was a tail. Their father's tail. And with just that, Ludwig just cried out, tears finally in his eyes and dripping down into the dry land.

"Help!" He cried. "Somebody… Anybody!" And Gilbert too, cried his eyes out.

To comfort them both, he placed a paw on Gilbert's back, pushing it down to make him lie down. Ludwig then proceeded to comfort his crying brother in many ways, also in tears. And then that moment ended. Their uncle Ivan appeared from the dust clouds. Looking at the disembodied and slightly bloody tail, he smirked slyly before erasing it from his face and finally breaking the special bond moment Ludwig and Gilbert had.

"Ludwig… Gilbert…" He said slowly, grabbing their attention. "What have you done…?"

"There… were wildebeest… and he tried to save us…" Ludwig spoke for the still teary eyed white lion cub. "It was an accident though… I didn't know it could happen…"

"Of course, of course you didn't. No-one ever means for these things to happen…" He said caringly, going a bit closer towards the sad boys, stroking Gilbert on the head softly. "But the king is dead. And if it weren't for you, he'd still be alive."

With that, Gilbert grew even sadder that it was his fault, plus Ludwig's as they both have to share the same problems.

"What would your mother think…?" Ivan asked with a surprised tone.

"… What are we going to do…?" Gilbert finally spoke, not wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Run away." Ivan suddenly said, making both of the cubs back away in both shock and fear again. "Run away and never come back." And they both ran at that point, too scared to even look back a tiny bit.

Then, the trio of hyenas appeared suddenly before Ivan, running towards the fleeing cubs with only two words from their leader.

"Kill them."

Entering a steep slope in the gorge, they both looked around for clues to get up. But their time was getting shorter as they both heard the distant hyena chuckling. But as the hyenas were just behind them, Ludwig found a way out to the open areas, with Gilbert following behind him, narrowly evading a deadly hit from Sadiq. Sprinting towards a rocky cliff which reflected the red sunlight, they stopped into a screeching halt to look down. At the bottom of the cliff were thorny bushes and spiky branches sticking out of the ground. With last words, Gilbert said,

"Goodbye Ludwig. Don't be dead when I see you again…!" And he jumped down roughly, but landing safely and miraculously in the thorny bushes.

Ludwig couldn't think of what to do. But when the hyenas were just behind him, he had no choice. He just leaped down without thinking, having some rolls while he was at it. While the small edge was there to break his fall, he landed safely in the spikey bushes, now making his way through them and squeezing through small gaps.

"Whoa!" Sadiq cried out, screeching to a halt. But as the other hyenas didn't know when to stop, they just stopped and bumped into each other, making Sadiq fall into the pit of thorns. Seconds later, he released a howl of pain, springing up into the air very high, followed by some very high hyenas who were laughing their heads off. He reappeared with a million thorns in every inch in his body, wincing in pain in every step he took.

Bella looked off at the distance, smirking with glee. "Hey, there he goes! And there's the other one!"

"So? Go get them." Sadiq said, pulling out a couple of thorns with him teeth.

"There ain't no way I'm going down there! I don't want to appear just like you, cactus butt!" At that remark, Sadiq spat out some thorns at Ceasar.

"But we gotta finish the job!"

"Well, they're as good as dead out there anyway. And if either one of the comeback, we'll kill them!

Sadiq smirked. "Yeah! You hear that? If you ever come back, we'll kill you!" Ending it there with a little of echoed laughter.

* * *

HOLY SHOOT I DIDN'T LIKE WRITING THIS CHAPTER. Well then, sorry if you noticed I got lazy at the end, and now to the next chapter! Cheerio!


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